To raise a Hero
by Firecracker27
Summary: This is a fic about little Clark. Not teen Clark with all the feelings! This is just a little boy who wants to play on the play ground, make friends, and survive on a world he doesn't quite understand; Jonathan and Martha have to learn how to be parents to a unique child and to keep together as they face trials, judgement, and to protect the child that fate has given them. R&R ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own Smallville.

To raise a Hero-prologue

A red pick-up truck drives down a long stretch of highway rain hit the side window of the truck. It gently wet the long auburn hair of a young woman. She raised a hand to swipe a hand over her cheeks. The driver glanced over at his wife his heart breaking even more.

"Oh..Martha I'm sorry."

Martha looked over at Jonathan attempting a smile. "No need to be sorry. It's just hormone tears."

Jonathan sighed. "I know hormone tears..these are heartbreak tears. I would offer to try again Martha, but, I hate what this is doing to you."

"There is really no point John. I'm just...broken. And there is nothing we can do about it"

"Hey! You are not broken. We'll go another route. I know I'm not a small round jiggly pile of cute mush you can hold in your arms..." 

Martha gave a laugh. "Oh give it time."

"Touche." he smiled as he looked in his rear view mirror.

Martha moved closure to her husband resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm grateful we have a farm. I am grateful I have you."

Jonathan draped his arm around her. "Right back at you."

Martha leaned over to turn on the radio when something caught her attention. The sky began to darken. Rain coming down harder.

Both became tense as the whole truck seem to shake. Martha looked behind her throw the back of the window.

"A twister?"

"I don't know. Buckle in." Jonathan stated as a flash of lightning streaked the sky.

Martha had just straightened her seat belt when the debris began to hit the road. Wide eyed Jonathan jerked the wheel hard to the right as Martha let out a scream.

"Hold on!"

The truck pitched back and forth over the road as the sky lit up like the fourth of July. Both white knuckled as they dodged impact after impact. Jonathan slammed on the breaks causing the truck skid across the road before it crashed into a ditch. Jerking the couple forward.

Gasping Jonathan looked over at Martha as she moved her hair away from her face a gash on her forehead.

"Martha! Are you ok?"

She quickly nodded. "Yeah."

Both opened the their door quickly joining each other. They cast their eyes to the sky in time to see a projectile streaking in their direction. Jonathan grabbed hold of Martha pushing her in the ditch landing over top of her as it roared over them before landing hard in their field with a hard crash. As soon as it started it was over. Only rain pitter pattered the ground.

Lifting his head Jonathan sat up followed by Martha. He got to his feet helping his wife up.

"That was not a tornado."

"What do you think it was?" Martha asked as she adjusted her coat. Wiping dirt off her sleeve.

"If I didn't know any better a meteor shower." Jonathan replied walking over to his truck.

Martha watched as Jonathan bent down to look at the front tire of his truck. "Looks like I need to change a tire."

"You're lucky that is all." Martha said. Then she looked in the direction of where the meteor landed.

"The engine could be another problem, but one step at a time." He straightened... "Hey could you check if the tool box is still in the back?"

Receiving no answer he turned to find his wife not there. "Martha?"

Looking about him he saw her just entering the field on the other side of the road. "Martha! Martha!"

Martha made her way through the field following the chard path embers faintly dotted the ground. She paused in shock and awe at the sight before her. Blinking she stepped toward it until..

"Martha! Martha what on earth.." Jonathan trailed off at the object in front of him.

Martha continued to approach it but was stalled as Jonathan quickly grabbed her arm. "Martha. Stay away from there."

"But. Johnathan. Aren't you curious?"

"Sure but that is anything but a meteor. Who knows what it could be or what it could do. It's best we return to back to the truck and..."

Both froze as they heard a faint cry. Martha looked at Jonathan than back at the object, another cry caused Martha to run over to the pod.

"Martha stop!" Jonathan called following her in time to see her reach into the pod.

Johnathan froze as she appeared. Something cradled in her arms. It was wrapped in a black silver blanket. Then a familiar gurgling sound reached his ears, he watched as she walked back toward him.

When she looked back at her husband her eyes were misty. "It's a baby."

Sure enough small hands and feet wiggled up in the blanket. Snapping out of it Jonathan pointed at Martha.

"Put it back."

"What?! Jonathan it's a baby."

"We don't know what that thing is. It turn into some green slime creature. Or be carrying a disease that could kill us both! Put it back."

"Jonathan...it's cold rainy and I am not going to leave him to starve or freeze to death." she firmly shot back.

"Him?! Martha be realistic.."

"I am. Jonathan please. We've been given a gift an answer to our prayers."

"I did not pray for some alien thing to drop from the sky in a cryptic basket."

"We have always wanted a child...she looked back at the baby in her arms... "He is a child without parents and we are a couple without a child. It fits. We are taking him back home with us." She concluded walking past Jonathan.

))))

Martha gently rocked the restless baby in her arms. As Jonathan passed the length of their living room.

"How could this possibly work?"

"We will make it work." Martha replied giving a warm smile to the little boy.

Jonathan looked at his wife. "How? This is a small town Martha. Everyone knows we've had trouble with having kids. Then out of the blue we have a baby in a carriage. That was the fastest nine months in human history!"

"We could say we were looking at adoption during our attempts of trying to conceive a child." Martha thought out.

Jonathan waved his hand in the air. "Oh i forgot. We adopted him from the Galaxy agency!"

"Can the sarcasm John." Martha shot out.

Johnathan looked back at his wife. How upset she was, she sighed. "I just...this is crazy. We don't know his physiology, if he needs a check up what then?"

Martha softened. "I know this is way out there, but what if he lands in the wrong hands. I can't picture him living a life of terror. We are capable of taking care of many things John. Together we can do this."

Jonathan caved. Coming closer he placed a hand on the baby's head. "Well..we can't just call him thing. it. Or whatever. He needs a name."

"What did you have in mind?"

"I don't know..Greg."

Martha gave a slight grin shaking her head. "No. I was thinking we could name him after your grandfather. Edmund."

"Oh gosh no. Edmund Kent has horrible ring, plus, I wasn't very found of my grandfather. In fact don't look at the names in my family tree. Jonathan is the best."

"Well..I am not really keen on my side either. Malcolm, Jackson, Herbert. Doesn't fit him." Martha confessed.

After a few moments Jonathan looked at her then at the baby fast asleep in her arms. "How about...Clark? If we had a boy of our own. I would have named him that."

Martha smiled. "Clark Kent..." ...she looked at him... "Perfect."

Jonathan couldn't help but smile himself. "OK..I guess we should invest in some baby gear. I trust you Martha. If you say we can do this, then we will." 

She gave him a kiss. As he wrapped his arm around her waist. She gave a soft smile as Clark grasped her finger in his hand.

"Welcome to the family little man."

A/N: Thanks for reading.

FC


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